Flexible corrective brace and brace-frame.



PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

G. W. HAAS. FLEXIBLE CORRECTIVE BRAGE AND BRAGB FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 27.1907.

31mm" tot Wihmooeo my.

mus PETERS gm, WASHINGTON n c girdle or corset.

IIITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE W. HAAS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARGARET B. FOWLER, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Application filed December 27, 1907. Serial No. 408,260.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, GUsrAvE W. HAAs, citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Corrective Braces and BraceFrame s; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

The object of this invention is to provide a very resilient and adaptable brace which will be light and inconspicuous and which will permit of perfect freedom for all normal bodily movements.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be now described and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of a brace frame embodying the present improvements, thetwo halves being shown in proper relative position but without any cover or supporting Fig. 2 is a detail view of the center of one of the side frames on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a detail of the hip plate and adjustable connections.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate like parts.

The brace of the present invention is designed to'e mbrace the body below the level of the arms and preferably around the mammary glands and against the shoulder blades with an elastic pressure the grasping or embracing portions of the brace being supported by adjustable verticals or standards, arranged at the side and extending up from a hip plate, the latter, if so desired, being incorporated in or secured to a girdle, corset, saddle or the like for distributing the pressure over the lumbar region of the body.

In order that the brace may have a maximum resiliency without liability of joints failing, the major portion of each side frame is preferably formed of a single integral piece of highly elastic wire. As shown, the body clamping or embracing portions are in the form of loops A one of which may pass around the mammary gland and the other rest against the back, over or in proximity to the shoulder blade. The lower sides of r the loops A are preferably'formed of a continuous reach of the wire, supported centrally in eyes a, while the upper sides are formed by portions of the wire, which, at the meeting point B, are bent down to form members O of the supporting standard. With this construction, the relative size of the loops may be varied by shifting the lower reach through the eyes and this in connection with the capacity of the loops for being bent to conform accurately to the contour of the body, gives an adaptability to the brace which could not well be secured in any other way.

At the point B, the wires may be conveniently held in proper relation by an eye B formed by or on the upper end of a central standard member D. In addition, suitable clamps E may embrace all three of the cen tral standard members to preserve their proper relation. Any desired number of the clamps E may be employed and in the preferred construction, the members of the central standard are inclosed in a soft rubber or other flexible cover or tube F and the clamps below the loops are applied on the outside of the cover, whereby the cover will bulge out between the clamps and form agreeable surfaces for contact with the body of the wearer.

The lower portion of the brace frame is preferably in the form of a plate G properly shaped to fit the anatomy of the wearer, over or in proximity to the hips and the members O of the central standard are passed through eyes 9 in the plate and then curved to form spring portions C the ends being finally secured to the plate as by fasteners c. The central member D of the standard is adjustably connected with the plate conveniently by a screw socket connection H whereby the length and rigidity or tension of the standard as a whole may be adjusted to conform to the size and requirements of the particular case under treatment.

An additional resilient support for one of the loops A is also preferably provided, this additional support taking the form of a diagonal standard K secured to the lower side of the loop at the upper end by an eye 7c and to the plate at the lower end by an adjust able connection. The latter connection may be conveniently formed by passing the diagonal standard through a guiding eye L on the plate and securing its end in one or the other of the series of holes L in the plate.

When in use, it will be understood that the frame may be wrapped or covered with leather'or fabric to add to the comfort of the patient as well as to present an attractive appearance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1. A brace of the character described, embodying a supporting standard and front and back loops centrally supported by said standard, said loops being formed of resilient Wire and having one side movable past the standard to vary the size of the loops.

2. A brace of the character described embodying front and back loops of resilient wire, a resilient standard centrally connected with the top and bottom of the loops and a resilient diagonal standard connected with the bottom of one of the loops.

3. A brace such as described embodying front and back clamping portions formed of resilient wire, a central standard having members formed by extensions of the wire constituting the loops and a base with which the ends of the standard extensions are connected.

4. A brace such as described embodying front and back loops formed of resilient wire having its ends extended to constitute members of a supporting standard, a bottom plate and means whereby the length of the standard may be adjusted.

5. A brace such as described embodying front and back loops formed of resilient wire, having its ends extended to form members of a supporting standard, a bottom plate, a

central standard member, an adjustable connection between the plate and central standard member a cover for the standard and clamps embracing the cover and standard.

GUSTAVE W. HAAS. Witnesses:

WALTER F. HABO, FRANK GARRETT. 

